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sharpenanother's review against another edition
I'm a big Steinbeck fan so it was really interesting to read this journal. Since I can only see him as a masterful writer and Grapes of Wrath as a classic, it was fascinating to see him so full of doubt about the book and his abilities in general. He had already been successful with Of Mice and Men, but sometimes chalked it up to luck. Favorite quote: "I'm not a writer. I've been fooling myself and other people. I wish I were. This success will ruin me sure as hell." It was motivating to read about his struggles and see how he pushed through and just got it done. Makes you realize the masters are humans like everyone else, and encourages you to work hard and push through your own challenges instead of giving up.
jbogerhawkins's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.0
somehow even sadder than i thought it would be
amandagstevens's review against another edition
5.0
The main takeaway here is that Steinbeck lived in a quagmire of self-doubt the entire time he was drafting one of the greatest American novels of all time. But he went to work anyway. As a writer I take immense encouragement from his determined discipline and his desire to write “one good book” in his lifetime. Well, sir, you certainly accomplished more than one.
Favorite quote: “Here is a strange thing—almost like a secret. You start out putting words down and there are three things—you, the pen, and the page. Then gradually the three things merge until they are all one and you feel about the page as you do about your arm. Only you love it more than you love your arm.”
Favorite quote: “Here is a strange thing—almost like a secret. You start out putting words down and there are three things—you, the pen, and the page. Then gradually the three things merge until they are all one and you feel about the page as you do about your arm. Only you love it more than you love your arm.”
nickyp's review against another edition
5.0
A writer who talks about his feelings! Doubt, confidence, joy, worry, and the push to keep working as the world collides into him. I've had this book on my shelf for a decade, at least, always intending to re-read The Grapes of Wrath with it but never actually buying that book. Reading it the first time on its own, though, helped me concentrate on the writing process, without the distraction of the novel's tough content.
"I have the laziness and reluctance that is always present in the beginning." (p. 62)
"The trouble with being too casual about a manuscript is that you don't do it. In writing, habit seems to be a much stronger force than either willpower or inspiration. Consequently there must be some little quality of fierceness until the habit pattern of a certain number of words is established. One never feels like awaking day after day. In fact, given the smallest excuse, one will not work at all. The rest is nonsense. Perhaps there are people who can work that way, but I cannot. I must get my words down every day whether they are any good or not. And I am a little afraid that they are not much good. However, down they go." (p. 118-19)
"Here is a strange thing -- almost like a secret. You start out putting words down and there are three things-- you, the pen, and the page. Then gradually the three things merge until they are all one and you feel about the page as you do about your arm. Only you love it more than you love your arm." (p. 121)
(from the commentary) " 'Why do they think a writer, just because he can write, will make a good after-dinner speaker, or club committeeman, or even a public speaker? I'm no public speaker and I don't want to be. I'm not even a finished writer yet, I haven't learned my craft,' he admonished an AP interviewer in 1939." (p. 98)
One disappointment is that except for mentioning trouble with a side-story's timeline, he doesn't go much into specific detail of sections and characters in the story. So don't look for deep analysis here. My Grapes copy is due to arrive this week, and I'm going to re--read this as I roll through it, which is what earned this book the 5th star.
"I have the laziness and reluctance that is always present in the beginning." (p. 62)
"The trouble with being too casual about a manuscript is that you don't do it. In writing, habit seems to be a much stronger force than either willpower or inspiration. Consequently there must be some little quality of fierceness until the habit pattern of a certain number of words is established. One never feels like awaking day after day. In fact, given the smallest excuse, one will not work at all. The rest is nonsense. Perhaps there are people who can work that way, but I cannot. I must get my words down every day whether they are any good or not. And I am a little afraid that they are not much good. However, down they go." (p. 118-19)
"Here is a strange thing -- almost like a secret. You start out putting words down and there are three things-- you, the pen, and the page. Then gradually the three things merge until they are all one and you feel about the page as you do about your arm. Only you love it more than you love your arm." (p. 121)
(from the commentary) " 'Why do they think a writer, just because he can write, will make a good after-dinner speaker, or club committeeman, or even a public speaker? I'm no public speaker and I don't want to be. I'm not even a finished writer yet, I haven't learned my craft,' he admonished an AP interviewer in 1939." (p. 98)
One disappointment is that except for mentioning trouble with a side-story's timeline, he doesn't go much into specific detail of sections and characters in the story. So don't look for deep analysis here. My Grapes copy is due to arrive this week, and I'm going to re--read this as I roll through it, which is what earned this book the 5th star.
vivridler's review against another edition
Have read an entry every other day for the past year while writing my PhD. The thesis is now done and so is this book. Thanks for the company.
quoththegirl's review against another edition
3.0
Anyone who doesn’t think writing is hard work should read this collection, taken from Steinbeck’s daily writing notes. The poor man sweats bullets the whole time and pours blood, sweat, and tears into his manuscript. Even though Steinbeck had quite a few published works by this point, he angsts constantly about how he’s not a real writer, and soon everybody is going to find it out. He alternates between thinking his work is crap and hoping that it’s brilliant. He has to psych himself up to write each day and most of the time ends up bullying himself into cranking out a page even though he doesn’t feel like it. In short, he expresses the rollercoaster of emotions that every writer seems to go through during the writing process, and I felt tremendously encouraged by that. His excitement when his wife came up with the perfect title for the manuscript he’d been slaving over for months was touching and so…relatable. Hey, I know that feeling! This is a great read for fans of Steinbeck, or for any writer, regardless of whether they enjoy Steinbeck’s works.
ralovesbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Would recommend: Yes
I had to speed-read this because I was unaware that I couldn't renew my library copy, and I will still have to pay an overdue fee, not that I am still kicking myself over this or anything. I really enjoyed Steinbeck's journal entries, and I wrote down many lines for future reference. My biggest takeaways were that he was incredibly disciplined, even though he kept saying that he was lazy, and he was very insecure, despite having already had enormous success with [b:Of Mice and Men|890|Of Mice and Men|John Steinbeck|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1309211906s/890.jpg|40283] and other works. It was a comfort to read his misgivings, all the while thinking that he would ultimately win the Nobel Prize for literature. I'd recommend this book to writers --- aspiring and otherwise --- and those who enjoyed [b:The Grapes of Wrath|4395|The Grapes of Wrath|John Steinbeck|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1309212810s/4395.jpg|2931549].
It should be said, however, that I found the commentary quite dry. I did a lot of skimming in those parts, not just because I was on a time crunch.
I had to speed-read this because I was unaware that I couldn't renew my library copy, and I will still have to pay an overdue fee, not that I am still kicking myself over this or anything. I really enjoyed Steinbeck's journal entries, and I wrote down many lines for future reference. My biggest takeaways were that he was incredibly disciplined, even though he kept saying that he was lazy, and he was very insecure, despite having already had enormous success with [b:Of Mice and Men|890|Of Mice and Men|John Steinbeck|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1309211906s/890.jpg|40283] and other works. It was a comfort to read his misgivings, all the while thinking that he would ultimately win the Nobel Prize for literature. I'd recommend this book to writers --- aspiring and otherwise --- and those who enjoyed [b:The Grapes of Wrath|4395|The Grapes of Wrath|John Steinbeck|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1309212810s/4395.jpg|2931549].
It should be said, however, that I found the commentary quite dry. I did a lot of skimming in those parts, not just because I was on a time crunch.
claudiaswisher's review against another edition
3.0
In doing my own research about Grapes of Wrath, I hoped this book would let me in on his creative process...instead it was a journal of his days as he wrote...he would say things like, "I need to get the family to the border in my writing today." I was looking for more. That said, this book let me know how hard he fought for his last scene.
samspurlin's review against another edition
4.0
Always fascinating to read others' creative process. Not sure if it's reassuring or utterly demoralizing that such a great writer's personal misgivings and doubts sound just like everyone else's.